#TallinnTen! Strong Scottish selection for European U20 Champs

Tuesday 6th July 2021

Kane Elliott of Falkirk Vics and Duncan Robinson of Giffnock North AC have both been selected for Estonia (photo by Bobby Gavin)

British Athletics website team announcement

Ten Scottish athletes have been selected by British Athletics for the European U20 Champs later this month.

The GB and NI team will head to Estonia for the event to take place from July 15-19 in Tallinn (where this weekend’s Euro U23 Champs are also being held).

Once again it is a massive boost for the sport in Scotland with such a strong cohort named within a British team.

Our #TokyoTwelve were named a week ago within the Team GB and NI for the Olympics and that was quickly followed by a further five athletes for the Euro U23s.

British Athletics confirmed a 65-strong selection for the Euro Juniors and for a number of those listed below this is a first opportunity to wear a GB and NI vest in European competition.

Kane Elliott, atU18 level, and Megan Keith, in the Euro Cross, have done so while Alyson Bell and Brodie Young were at Loughborough with GB Juniors.

Here are the selections (in alphabetical order and with coach name and event for which selected)

Bera Ajala (Edinburgh AC) John Scott: Triple Jump

Alyson Bell (Giffnock North) Billy Glasgow: 4x100m

Kirsty Costello (Kilbarchan AAC) Chris Bennett: Hammer

Kane Elliott (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) Willie Sharp: 1500m

Joe Ewing (Edinburgh AC) Carol Sharp: 1500m

Megan Keith (Inverness Harriers) Ross Cairns: 3000m

Alastair Marshall (Central AC) Derek Easton: 5000m

Reuben Nairne (Giffnock North AC) Brian Donaldson: Pole Vault

Duncan Robinson (Giffnock North AC) Ben Robinson/Dudley Walker: 3000m

Brodie Young (Airdrie Harriers) James McMenemy: 400m and 4x400m

We send our warm congratulations to all these athletes and their families and coaches. We also forward our good wishes of course, to the clubs involved in the development of these young athletes for a number of years.

It’s worth noting there are seven different clubs involved with three athletes from Giffnock North AC, two from Edinburgh AC and one apiece from Falkirk Vics, Kilbarchan, Inverness, Central AC and Airdrie Harriers.

As mentioned above, the #TallinnTen follow on from 12 for the Olympics and five selections for the Euro U23 to make it 27 in total across British team announcements over the last week or so.

The effect that can have within clubs in terms of ‘You Have to See It, To Be It’ is significant and all of those selected then effectively become role models to those in their training groups, their club and the wider track and field scene in Scotland.

Finally, it’s great to see the coaches involved in that list above. All ten are Scotland-based and a real variety there from the likes of Chris Bennett, who is himself still competing at a very high level, to long-standing names in endurance like Derek Easton, Carol Sharp and Dudley Walker as well as John Scott and Brian Donaldson in the jumps.